“You’re gonna love him. I mean he’s smart, funny, cu---.”
“Katie, honey. Katie calm down. I’m sure we’ll all get along just fine. Now stop pacing back and forth and help me with this chicken.”
My mom was right, I was getting all worked up for nothing. Rick was a great boyfriend, everything I’d ever hoped for in one.
He wasn’t shallow like 95% of the pigs, I mean boys, at my high school, take for instance he didn’t care for big boobs or butts. And that meant good news for me cause I have neither.
“Smells good,” My dad said as he walked into the kitchen.
“Thanks for changing,” I said, rolling my eyes as I spotted the ketchup stain on his shirt from earlier today when he ate lunch.
Ding Dong.
“He’s here!” I practically screamed, sprinting for the door and almost tripping over myself.
Was I nervous?
More than I’ve ever been in my entire life. But I wasn’t about to let that get in the way of what was suppose to be a great night.
“Rick!” I cheerfully said as I wrapped my arms around him. It was hard to break our embrace when he smelled so good.
“Hey babe.” I loved it when he called me babe.
“Hell---,” My mom began to say as she joined us in the hallway, but stopped abruptly.
When she didn’t continue her hello I broke free from Rick’s grasp and turned around, only to see her eyes getting wider.
There may have been one thing I left out when telling my parents about Rick.
But I didn’t think it mattered.

Five Minutes Into Dinner
“Why didn’t you tell me?” My mom whispered angrily after she pulled me aside from the dinner table and into the living room.
“Tell you what?” But I knew exactly what she was talking about.
“You’re not suppose to date his kind!” She said raising her voice. But not enough for Rick to hear from all the way in the kitchen. I hope.
“You don’t even know him! And besides, I though we’re all God’s children,” I pointed out, quoting what she had always said. She was the biggest religious hypocrite on the face on the planet.
“I know what I said. But you…You’re a beautiful young woman. Don’t stoop down to this!”
That made me want to slap her Botoxed cheek. There was nothing wrong with Rick. Nothing at all.
“I’m not stooping down to anything! Just cause he’s---.”
“Ladies, we’re getting hungry,” My dad cut in as he walked up to us, giving my mom a worried expression.
“You people disgust me,” I said, shoving past my mom so I could join Rick.

Ten Minutes Into Dinner
“So Rick, where do you live?” My mom asked painfully as she sipped her water. She was trying to pretend like nothing was wrong, when I knew for a fact that she despised Rick and the fact that I was head over heels him.
“Brentwood,” He said uncomfortably, taking a bite outta his chicken. That was the richest neighborhood in town, but it was already ingrained in her mind that he lived in the ghetto. And nothing I could say or do would change that.
This was all too awkward, not to mention my worst nightmare.
“Just come out and say it,” I said quietly as moved my vegetables randomly around in my plate with my fork.
“What was that Katie?” My mom replied, shooting me one of her evil looks.
“Nothing.”

Forty-Five Minutes Into Dinner
“I hope you like chocolate cake,” My mom said, putting an emphasis on the word chocolate as she got outta her seat.
Like she was implying that Rick should stick to his own kind.
That was it.
“Racist,” I spat out, not regretting it one bit.
“What?” She asked like she was shocked or something. But I could hear the anger in her voice.
“You heard me.”
Instead of yelling at me like I thought she would, she turned her attention to my boyfriend.
“I don’t know you. At all. And I don’t want to. I’m just gonna come out and say that I don’t like the idea of you with my Katie. I think you should leave.”
“Judy,” My dad said cautiously, grabbing her hand.
“No. Leave,” She said to Rick again, almost bursting into tears.
“How dare you!” I managed to choke out, not believing what she just said. “If he goes, I go,” I added as I stood up, intertwining my fingers with his.
“You’re breaking my heart!” She cried hysterically, backing away from the table.
“Well then you better go get some tape to patch the pieces back up together,” I said leading Rick through the front door and outta the house.

Fifty Minutes Into Dinner
Rick was the blackest kind of black, and I was the whitest kind of white. It just killed my mother to accept that.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, walking with him hand and hand.
He pulled away, suddenly shoving his hand in his pocket as he stopped walking.
“I had a feeling this would happen. We should just end it here, before---.”
“What?! No! I love you,” That was the first time I told that to anyone. I waited all my life to say that to the right person, and he was the definitely the right person for me, I could feel it.
“I just can’t do this,” He said, not looking me in the eyes. Not the response I was looking for.
I couldn’t let him go. He made me the happiest I’ve ever been. I just stared at him in his navy blue jacket, wishing tonight never would have happened now.
“So that’s it, isn’t it?! Screw what---.”
“It’s just, your mom. I feel horrible…Never mind, Bye Katie,” He said, his voice getting softer. I could tell it killed him to say goodbye.
“No, no!” I leaned into kiss him but he pulled away.
“It’s a shame you care what other people think,” I said, not hesitating as I slapped him across the face. I turned and walked towards my house after I shook out my hand, not looking back but not wanting to go in either. He didn’t come after me like I expected him to. Little did I know that would be the last time I would ever talk to him.
“I hope you’re happy!” I shouted as I swung open the front door.
“Ecstatic!” My mom yelled furiously as she approached me.
“You’re lucky you’re not disowned! The thought of you with that, that…” She continued.
“Guy? Cause that’s what he is. A guy. That I really liked. And now it’s over because there are racist people like you in this world! Guess what? I don’t give a s***! Go to hell,” I said, feeling my cheeks getting hot.
I never swore in front of her before until now. But she deserved it. She created a problem when there shouldn’t have been one in the first place. She made this one of the worst nights of my life. And she made me lose the one guy who ever gave a damn about me.
She just stood stone cold, not taking in any of the words I just said to her.
“I will never forgive you for this,” I murmured, shaking my head.
I then ran up to my room. And I cried.